By Jeb Dunnuck |
June 18, 2024One of the wines of the vintage, the 2023 Château Montrose sports a vivid purple hue as well as awesome aromatics of crème de cassis, fresh blackcurrants, graphite, crushed stone, tobacco, and violets. It's medium to full-bodied and has a concentrated, layered, seamless mouthfeel, flawless balance, fine polished tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. Based on 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc and aged 18 months in 60% new French oak, it stays in the more aristocratic style of the vintage and is an utterly sensational, deep, multi-dimensional Montrose. It's one for the ages, yet I suspect it will be approachable within a reasonable time frame as well. Drink 2030-2078.
View full postBased on 82% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Franc and aged 18 months in 66% new French oak, the 2023 Vieux Château Certan sports brilliant red, blue, and black fruits as well as smoky tobacco, liquid violets, graphite, and hints of chocolate. Including no Cabernet Sauvignon due to the heatwave, this plump, full-bodied, ripe, sexy Vieux Château Certan is already impossible to resist yet is going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and drink brilliantly for three decades. There are roughly 3,333 cases produced. Drink 2029-2059.
View full postThe Grand Vin 2023 Château Margaux is based on 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc and was aged 21 months in 100% new French oak. Deep purple-hued and opaque, it offers sensational aromatics of crème de cassis, mulberries, flowery incense, blue fruits, graphite, and smoky tobacco on the nose. It's full-bodied on the palate and has a broad, layered, seamless mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It's not far off the style of the 2020 and is shockingly good! Will it shut down? Time will tell, but this is a sensational effort that deserves a solid decade of bottle age. Drink 2035-2073.
View full postAbsolute classic La Mission sexiness and opulence emerge from the 2023 Château La Mission Haut-Brion, a blend of ripe red and black currants, flowery incense, spice, tobacco, and subtle smoky notes. It's medium to full-bodied, with a pure, layered, graceful mouthfeel, sweet tannins, and outstanding length. This deep, rich, multi-dimensional La Mission will shine with just 4-5 years of bottle age and cruise for 30+ years. Drink 2029-2059.
View full postThe 2023 Château Brane-Cantenac checks in as 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Carménère, and 1% Petit Verdot that spent 18 months in all new French oak. Impressive aromatics of ripe red, blue, and black fruits intermix with graphite, smoky tobacco, and spice on the nose. It's deep, dense, and concentrated on the palate, with integrated acidity and ripe tannins. This is shockingly concentrated, pure, and just a brilliant 2023 that will evolve gracefully for 30+ years. Drink 2028-2058.
View full postA blend of 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc aged in a mix of barrels, 500-liter, and foudre (roughly 60% new oak), the 2023 Château Larcis Ducasse sports a deep purple hue as well as a great nose of ripe red and black fruits, smoky tobacco, chocolaty herbs, and graphite. This carries to a medium to full-bodied palate that has a round, layered, concentrated mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It's one of the richer, more textured, sexy, opulent wines in the vintage while still staying in the charming, pure, layered style of 2023. It will keep for 30 years or more in a cold cellar but will be shining with just 4-5 years of bottle age. Drink 2029-2055.
View full postHeavenly stuff, the 2023 Château Léoville Poyferré checks in as 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot that spent 18-20 months in 80% new French oak. It brings more sexiness and richness than most in the vintage, yet it isn't over the top and plays in the more classic, elegant style of the vintage. Crème de cassis, spring flowers, violets, graphite, and spicy wood all show on the nose, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a pure, graceful, and layered mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. I love its purity, and this is just loaded with charm. While it's already hard to resist, it should evolve gracefully on its balance, purity, and elegance. Drink 2030-2055.
View full postBased on 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2023 Château Pape Clément has a deep purple hue as well as a sensational perfume of cassis, darker berries, crushed stone, graphite, violets, and subtle smoky tobacco. Medium to full-bodied, pure, and layered on the palate, it has polished tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. It’s a classic, seamless Pape Clément that already offers pleasure yet has the structure and depth to evolve for 30 years. Drink 2026-2056.
View full postBeautiful notes of exotic red and black fruits, spring flowers, violets, leafy herbs, and tobacco emerge from the 2023 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, with subtle hints of iron and graphite. Aged 22 months in barrel, the first year in 70% new oak with the rest in used barrels and concrete, and the second year all in used foudre, it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, has a pure, layered, graceful mouthfeel, impressive balance, and a great finish. I love the purity and polish of its tannins, and while it already has charm, this deserves 4-6 years of bottle age and will evolve beautifully for 30+ years. Drink 2030-2055.
View full postA serious, age-worthy Pauillac, the 2023 Château Pontet-Canet is based on 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new French oak, 35% amphora, and the rest in once-used barrels. Its deep purple hue is followed by a classic 2023 style in its aromatics and texture, with black cherries, ripe blue fruits, smoke, tobacco leaf, loamy earth, graphite, and beautiful floral nuances. It's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a pure, pretty mouthfeel, remarkable elegance and purity, plenty of fine tannins, and a great finish. It already offers pleasure given its purity and vibrancy, but smart money will hide bottles for 5-7 years. It will see its 40th birthday in fine form. Drink 2030-2065.
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Now that the latest En Primeur Campaign is at an end, it’s always interesting to look back at the top releases as well as prices. The selection below is built largely around wine quality and wines I felt stood out in the vintage, which is where I think the focus...… Subscribe to read more
